In the tranquil farming village of Shees, nestled between the newly constructed speedway linking the city of Sharjah to Khorfakkan city and the majestic Hajjar mountains, the newly built Shees Friday Market takes shape as a community-oriented retail experience rooted in local practices. This market, designed by UAE-based Shape Architecture Practice + Research, coalesces tradition and progress, offering a vibrant nexus where rural simplicity and an urbane convenience may converge.

The market's master plan unfolds in two phases, with the southern phase already realised and the northern phase on the horizon. This ambitious initiative offers a diverse array of experiences: from the Friday market shops brimming with fresh produce, handcrafted carpets, artisanal honey, aromatic herbs and nurseries, to inviting snack kiosks, a bustling food court, a play area for children, an open-air theatre and a mosque. Each element is curated with care to cater to the needs and desires of the community and its visitors.

The southern market, divided into three blocks, features a unique layout that encourages exploration and social interaction. Each block is characterised by flat horizontal stepped roofs resting on stone-clad walls, architecturally bridging an aesthetic and functional traditionalism with a modern sense of being. Below these roofs, the shops are designed to invite ample natural light and gentle breezes within. Two glazed walls adorn each shop, harnessing the beauty of the surroundings for the indoors, while expansive sliding glass doors offer flexibility to adapt to seasonal demands.

Sustainability is woven into the very fabric of the Shees Friday Market. Stones sourced from nearby tunnelling works and materials procured locally contribute to the market's eco-friendly construction. The roof's generous overhang provides shade for the walkway, enhancing comfort for visitors while minimising energy consumption. Furthermore, each shop within the market was graciously endowed to the heads of families residing in Shees and the neighbouring Al Nahwa, underscoring the market's deep-rooted connection to the local community.

The unique geographical and cultural context of Shees significantly influenced the design of the Friday Market. "Traditionally, markets in the region featured open spaces with fruits and vegetables displayed along the streets under basic shading," explains Abdulla Al Shamsi, lead architect for the project. "Inspired by this tradition, our goal was to capture the same vibrant, accessible atmosphere while incorporating modern enhancements." The design incorporates a long canopy supported by solid columns wrapped in rubble stone masonry sourced from the site, blending traditional techniques with contemporary construction.

Collaboration with local stakeholders was key in both shaping and realising the final design. The market was conceived to serve both residents and tourists travelling between Sharjah and Khorfakkan, providing a rest stop along the route. HH Sheikh Sultan, the ruler of Sharjah, generously gifted individual shops to each family of Shees and Nahwa as part of a broader effort to enhance community welfare. "The market now functions as a vibrant hub, offering local farmers a venue to sell their produce and generate rental income," says Shabeeb Mohammed, co-lead architect. The gathering spaces in the project function as an extension of its community aspect, offering an engaging experience to users while also providing a place for locals to convene.

Each shop in the market is designed with a flexible provision for closing in a 60:40 ratio: 60 per cent of each shop is always open to the outside, eliminating the need for artificial lighting and ventilation and significantly reducing energy consumption. The remaining 40 per cent of the shop has provisions for air-conditioning and is openable across a glazed wall, preserving perishable items like fruits and vegetables and offering a sheltered area for vendors during harsh weather. The public architecture and its approach to sustainable design thus minimises overall energy use for lighting and ventilation while also creating pockets of interaction and traditional exchanges on the shops' outsides, retaining a parcel of the character of a bustling street market in an ordered intervention with an aspirational character.

Designing a public space presents both intriguing opportunities and significant challenges. The key challenge for the team on this project was to create an agreeable visitor experience while minimising environmental impact, given the market's location between two mountains. "We were restricted from altering the mountains themselves and could only work within the available space below them, which had large slopes to deal with," explains Al Shamsi. The design process thus involved dividing the whole market into stepped clusters of shops with socially oriented spaces in between in an attempt to enhance the shopping and cultural experiences offered by the Shees Friday Market. Utilising leftover rocks from the site further helped blend the structure seamlessly with the natural landscape. "The project taught us that, despite the complexities of designing a large public space, the true reward comes from witnessing people enjoying and engaging with the space we’ve created", states the team, closing on a rather pleasant and victorious note on the humane aspects of the project and its transformative power in community upliftment.

Project Details

Name: Shees Friday Market
Location: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Client: Mubadara
Architect: Shape Architecture Practice + Research
Design Team: Abdulla Al Shamsi, Shabeeb Mohammed, Walid Boudegga, Sarfaraz Mohammed Ashraf, Mohamed Shoeab, Wail Jonblat, Jethro Armenta, Irene Babu, Yasser Elsayed, Abdul Hakim, Maria Fulla, Abdalla Hijazy, Ibrahim Batcha, Samer El Hajj, Mohammed Al Mazzaz
Completion Year: 2023
Area: 6450 m²